Q About five years ago, my mother, sister and I purchased a bichon frise named Romeo. My mother, who’s allergic to animals, didn’t particularly want a dog. However, we decided this breed was best suited for someone with allergies. Unfortunately, my grandparents have this bad habit of taking other people’s dogs. They stole Romeo. This didn’t bother my mother, who never really wanted him. At first, my grandparents hid Romeo whenever I visited, but I figured things out. Romeo has become extremely overweight. They feed him baloney and dog biscuits covered in butter in the morning. At lunch, he has maple cookies and more baloney. At night, he gets dog food with a bowl of ice cream. Romeo’s weight is frightening. I’m extremely upset with my family for slowly killing him. I’m now moving to my own apartment with my boyfriend, and we want a dog. I think Romeo would be perfect for us. Do you think we should steal Romeo and get his weight down?

— C.P. Quebec, Ontario

A Syndicated advice columnist Amy Dickinson, a Tribune Media Services colleague, tells it like it is: ‘All these people should be sent to a shelter — a no-kill shelter for dysfunctional families. Of course, if the mother never wanted the dog, well, consider this concept: The family shouldn’t have forced her to get it. And grandparents are supposed to teach younger family members why not to steal, not how to steal.’

As for what to do now, Dickinson says, “Two wrongs don’t make a right, and stealing is not right. Of course, you don’t steal the dog. You can adopt a dog from a shelter and become the most committed owner of a pet in need of a home.”

I implore you to present this column to your grandparents. Based on your description, they probably love Romeo very much and, hopefully, will pay attention. You’re absolutely right to suggest they’re steadily killing this dog. Not only will obesity impact Romeo’s long-term quality of life, health and lifespan but also I doubt he’s getting a balanced diet for dogs. They may think Romeo is happy, but no profoundly overweight dog is an active, healthy, normal canine. Please ask them to check with their veterinarian for guidance and start a weight-loss program for Romeo.

No question, changing Romeo’s diet to dog food is necessary. For now, at least, treats should be small carrot slices. Butter, baloney and ice cream should be cut out. Romeo needs to gradually begin an exercise program. The veterinarian may even suggest a medication called Slentrol to help Romeo lose those pounds.

Q My cat, Mango, has started getting up in the middle of the night and meowing. She never did this before. What’s going on?

— B.C., Charlotte, N.C.

A Any time there’s a sudden change in a pet’s behavior, it’s best to see a veterinarian. If Mango is older, she may be suffering from a sort of kitty Alzheimer’s. This is more likely if you’ve noticed her becoming confused in other ways, such as forgetting where her food dish and/or litter box are located. Such behavior can also indicate hearing loss in cats. Some cats respond with overnight wailing as an expression of anxiety due to a change of some kind in the household (for example, if you were previously home during the day but now have different work hours). This can even happen when a child goes away to college.

However, the most likely explanation for the overnight concert could be that your cat woke up hungry and meowed loudly about it. You responded with attention and/or food. Quickly, your cat learned to demand your attention and/or a midnight snack.

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